BROADWATER HUNDRED 



frieze a deep cornice, mitred and broken out over the 

 pilasters, forms the basis of the second stage (the 

 exterior of the long gallery), which has eight rect- 

 angular windows of two lights with a transom, four 

 on each side of the central bay, and separated by flat 

 Ionic pilasters on flat plinths to the sill level, the 

 plinths being sculptured with trophies of arms, 

 including both classical and later forms, even fire- 

 arms. The continuous frieze is of flowers, fruit and 

 grotesques. Above the cornice of this stage is the 

 openwork parapet, the strapwork piercing being 

 interrupted above the pilasters of the lower stages and 

 at midway intervals between those points by flat 

 balusters, from which, above the coping, rise figures. 

 The central bay, containing the porch, resembles 

 the rest, but projects some 5 ft. from the wall face. 

 On either side of the entrance archway are pairs of 

 round Doric columns, over which the entablature 

 breaks out. Similarly on the first stage pairs of 

 Ionic columns flank the central three-light rectangular 

 window with two transoms of the long gallery, and 

 the Cecil achievement in the third stage (mentioned 

 above) has on either side of it a pair of slender 

 coupled Corinthian columns, with a frieze like that 

 of the second stage. Above the cornice of this stage 

 is a solid parapet with the date 1 6 1 1 in large raised 

 figures, and on it above the coupled columns are four 

 lions carrying shields. ' The centre of the parapet is 

 surmounted by the Cecil crest in open stonework. 



The screens, entered from the north porch, have 

 on the west side a stone arcading of three Doric 

 bays, either wholly modern or much restored. On 

 the south a doorway with pilasters and a pediment 

 opens to the cloister, and has over it the Cecil arms 

 and quarterings in painted wood, with the date 1 575, 

 possibly brought from Theobalds. On the east side 

 is the oak screen of the hall in five bays. On the 

 screens side the posts form a plain Doric arcade, the 

 arches filled with large moulded panels and pierced 

 lunettes. The frieze is of pierced strapwork, which 

 appears to be modern. The central bay contains 

 the doorway to the hall. On the side facing the 

 hall this screen is elaborately carved and decorated. 

 The posts are carved as grotesque caryatides, and the 

 panels, four in each bay, are filled with large oval 

 cartouches and scroll-work. The lunettes above are 

 carved as shells, and above them are bold carved 

 brackets with grotesque work and heads supporting 

 the upper stage, which overhangs and may originally 

 have been an open balcony. It is divided into five 

 bays by flat carved pilasters rising from breaks in the 

 cornice above the brackets, with blind-pierced designs 

 between in the side bays, and in the centre two panels 

 containing scrolled cartouches of" the Cecil arms with 

 quarterings. Above these panels, and divided by 

 grotesque pilasters with heads below the capitals, is 

 an arcade with carved spandrels and flatly ornamented 

 panels, obviously a later addition, in the four side 

 bays, while the centre bay contains two small arched 

 sight-holes with carved spandrels between, and over 

 them a panel with two putti supporting the Cecil 

 crest and an earl's coronet of the Caroline form, 

 which must therefore necessarily be of later date 

 than the original building. 60b It is set in an arch like 



«* S. P. Dom. Jat. I, Ixiii, BS (1). 

 17 May i6ll : 'The hall is fully joined 

 with tables and forms lining to it, the 

 lower part of the screen is set up and 



that of thi 



HATFIELD ok 

 BISHOP'S HATFIELD 



f this arcade. The sight-holes 



...ite-room of the winter dining 



___ the first floor. At the east end of the hall 



is a gallery of similar design to that of the screen, 

 supported on grotesque brackets. The coved soffit is 

 plastered, and was painted in 1 878. The front forms 

 an open arcade of twelve bays, with grotesque pilasters 

 and a cornice and a balustrade of pierced strapwork. 

 In the centre at the top is an achievement of the 

 Cecil arms. The screen and the gallery have both 

 undergone much restoration, but the constructional 

 parts, with their decoration, are all original. The 

 panelling of the hall, divided into bays by Doric 

 pilasters, is either modern or very much restored. 

 The fireplace and mantel on the south are modern. 

 The south wall above the panelling is covered with 

 17th-century tapestry. 



Below the gallery are two doorways with round 

 heads and square stone architraves ; one of them has 

 one of the few original doors in the house ; it has 

 small oblong and oval panels and moulded styles 



The hall ceiling is plastered and decorated with 

 bands of ornament in low relief, these bands inclosing 

 flat panels, which were filled with paintings in 1878 ; 

 the ceiling is coved, and is divided into four bays by 

 moulded principals with pendants, and decorated with 

 scroll work. These descend to carved lions holding 

 shields, and resting on the moulded wall-plate. The 

 lunette spaces inclosed in the line of the coved ceiling at 

 each end of the hall have a low-relief filling of flat 

 arabesques. There was no dais in the original con- 

 struction of the floor, which is in squares of black 

 and white marble. Among the furniture are two 

 long tables of early 17th-century date, 61 with pierced 

 square baluster legs. 



The cloister, entered from the south end of the 

 screens, is altered in character by the filling of the 

 arcade with pierced stonework containing glazing, of 

 honeycomb pattern, converting it from 



f( atui 



It i 



■ pavec 



with squares of black and white marble, and has 

 the north wall four 17th-century panels of tapestry, 

 and on both sides are stands of armour, mostly of the 

 late 16th century, but a good deal restored, and 

 including some pieces of doubtful antiquity. At 

 each end of the cloister three steps lead up to the 

 wings. The ceiling is modern, plastered with an 

 arabesque design in low relief. 



The grand staircase, at the east end of the hall, 

 is of open newel construction, and has quarter- 

 landings at every six steps. The moulded balusters 

 are square-raked, are herm-shaped with Ionic capitals 

 in the place of heads, and have between them arches 

 with carved spandrels, and the balusters and newels 

 are carved in high relief with trophies and grotesque 

 designs. The newels rise to some height above the 

 moulded rail in herm shape, and are surmounted by 

 nude amorini holding various objects, and lions 

 supporting shields. The soffits and string are orna- 

 mented with strapwork and pendants. Against the 

 wall is a similar balustrade with newels and figures, 

 and on the first landing is a pair of carved dog- 

 gates. 



97 



